TRAFFIC PATTERNS AT A NARROW BRIDGE

THE EFFECTS OF FOUR TYPES OF SIGNING INSTALLATIONS ON DRIVER APPROACH PATTERNS ARE TESTED AT A TYPICAL NARROW HIGHWAY BRIDGE. THOSE SIGNS USED WERE STANDARD REFLECTOR BUTTON WARNING SIGNS WITH STRIPED PANEL BOARDS AT THE BRIDGE; STANDARD SIZE REFLECTORIZED BACKGROUND WARNING SIGNS WITH ENLARGED RED BUTTON CLUSTERS AT THE BRIDGE; REFLECTORIZED BACKGROUND SIGNS WITH THE PANELS AT THE BRIDGE, AND WITH THE PANELS AND A PAINTED REFLECTORIZED CENTER LINE THROUGH THE BRIDGE AND EXTENDING INTO THE APPROACH. THE TYPE OF SIGN INFLUENCES THE LATERAL PLACEMENT PATTERN AT NIGHT, WHILE THE BRIDGE ITSELF INFLUENCES DRIVER BEHAVIOR DURING THE DAY. WARNING SIGNS FORCE THE DRIVER TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE ROAD, THE AMOUNT INDEPENDENT OF TYPE OF SIGN. THE CENTER LINE CHANNELS CARS ONTO THE BRIDGE MORE WITHIN THEIR OWN LANE. THE CLUSTER IS NOT SO DESIRABLE, AS IT FORCES DRIVERS AWAY FROM THE EDGE OF THE PAVEMENT INTO THE OPPOSING LANE. AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE BRIDGE, THE DRIVER USUALLY ENTERS CLOSER TO THE TRUSS WHEN PANELS ARE USED THAN WHEN CLUSTERS ARE USED. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrbproceedings/27/27-027.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 27, pp 281-290, 6 FIG, 1 TAB. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Quimby, W S
  • Sutherland, W A
• Publication Date: 1948

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Monograph Title: Proceedings of the Twenty-Seventh Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board Held at Washington, D.C. December 2-5, 1947
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Proceedings
  • Volume: 27
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge approaches; Bridges; Center lines; Cluster analysis; Days; Night; Panels; Reflective signs; Road markings; Traffic flow; Traffic signs; Travel patterns; Two lane highways; Warning signs
• Uncontrolled Terms: Clustering; Traffic patterns
• Old TRIS Terms: Narrow objects; Traffic marking
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223502
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jul 2 1971 12:00AM